University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball resumes Great Lakes Valley Conference play Thursday at 5:30 p.m. when it hosts the University of Missouri-St. Louis at the Physical Activities Center.
The Screaming Eagles (10-1, 2-0 GLVC) also visit No. 8 Drury University in a Top 25 showdown Saturday at 1 p.m. in Springfield, Missouri. USI begins the week ranked No. 9 in the latest Division II Media Poll and No. 20 in the USA Today Sports/Division II Coaches’ Poll, while Drury is No. 8 in the coaches’ poll and No. 20 in the media poll.
USI is looking to avenge the 65-59 setback they suffered at the hands of the Tritons last year in St. Louis, while it is looking for its second straight win over Drury after topping the Panthers, 84-78, last year at the PAC.
Missouri-St. Louis (7-3, 1-2 GLVC) has won four straight games enter Thursday’s game, while the Panthers (11-1, 3-0 GLVC) have won a league-best nine consecutive games.
Both games this week can be heard on WSWI 95.7 FM as well as online at www.957thespin.com. Live stats and GLVC Sports Network coverage also are available at GoUSIEagles.com.
USI Women’s Basketball Notes (1/3/18)
• Eagles end 2017 with win. USI Women’s Basketball ended the 2017 calendar year with an 83-46 win over Grace College. Dating back to last season, the Eagles went a combined 24-4 in 2017, including 14-3 to end the 2016-17 campaign.
• Leaders vs. Grace. Freshman guard Emma DeHart had a career-high 14 points to lead the Eagles in their win over Grace. Senior forward Morgan Dahlstrom added 12 points, while junior guard Alex Davidson and junior forward/center Mikayla Rowan contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively.
• Season Leaders. Senior guard/forward Kaydie Grooms and senior forward Morgan Dahlstrom continue to lead the Eagles in scoring with 17.4 and 16.2 points per game, respectively. Dahlstrom leads USI with 9.5 rebounds per contest, while senior forward Randa Harshbarger is averaging a team-high 3.7 assists per appearance.
• Eagles sporting one of DII’s top defenses. USI begins the week with one of the nation’s best defenses, ranking sixth in the nation in scoring defense (51.9 ppg), 11th in field goal defense (.337), 13th in blocks (5.4 bpg), 18th in steals (12.2 spg) and 38th in three-point field goal percentage defense (.263). USI has held its opponents to 50-or-fewer points six times this year and to 60-or-fewer points nine times.
• USI in the Top 25. USI slipped one spot to No. 9 in the latest Division II Media Poll and held its spot at No. 20 in the latest USA Today Sports/NCAA Division II Coaches’ Poll. USI also slipped to No. 6 in the latest Herosports.com Division II rankings and No. 8 in the Massey Ratings.
• What’s next? The Eagles resume GLVC play Thursday when they host Missouri-St. Louis at the PAC. USI also visits No. 8 Drury Saturday in Springfield, Missouri.
• A look at UMSL. The Tritons resume GLVC play having won four straight games. Led by senior forward Shawnta Johnson, the Tritons have five players averaging 9.7 points per game or better. Johnson leads the Tritons with 12.6 points per game, while freshman forward Alex LaPorta is averaging 9.7 points and a GLVC-best 10.3 rebounds per game.
• A look at Drury. The Panthers have the GLVC’s longest winning streak at nine straight as they resume league play against the Eagles Saturday. Senior guards Alice Heinzler and Heather Harman lead the Panthers with 14.5 and 13.8 points per game, respectively, while sophomore forward Hailey Diestelkamp is averaging 12.6 points and a team-best 6.5 rebounds per appearance.
• Drury presents tough road challenge. USI is looking for its first win against Drury away from the PAC when it visits the Panthers Saturday. The Eagles are 0-7 all-time against the Panthers in Springfield, Missouri, and are 0-8 against Drury away from the PAC.
• What’s ahead? USI continues GLVC play January 11 when it hosts Indianapolis in its only contest of the week.
• Record book watch. Three players are in currently in USI’s record books:
–Kaydie Grooms is 11th in scoring (1,205), 14th in blocks (55), 15th in assists (200) and 22nd in rebounds (435);
–Randa Harshbarger is sixth in assists (300) and is 10th in steals (159);
–Morgan Dahlstrom is 11th in rebounds (548), tied for 12th in blocks (56), and is 31st in scoring (737).
• USI in statistical rankings. USI begins the week ranked first in the GLVC in six statistical categories including scoring defense, scoring margin, steals, field goal percentage defense, three-point field goal percentage defense and free throw percentage. The Eagles rank in the top five of 15 GLVC statistical categories and in the top 25 of seven NCAA II statistical categories.
• Eagles in statistical rankings. Several Eagles are in the top 15 of GLVC statistical categories to begin the week:
–Morgan Dahlstrom (7 categories) ranks No. 2 in total rebounds (9.5 rpg), defensive rebounds (6.5 drpg) and offensive rebounds (3.0 orpg);
–Alex Davidson (1 category) ranks No. 12 in three-point field goal percentage (.400);
–Kacy Eschweiler (1 category) is No. 10 in blocks (1.1 bpg);
–Kaydie Grooms (5 categories) is No. 4 in scoring (17.4 ppg);
–Imani Guy (1 category) is tied for 11th in blocks (1.0 bpg)
–Randa Harshbarger (3 categories) is No. 2 in steals (3.6 spg).
